UPTAKE AND METABOLISM OF INSECT METABOLITES BY LEAVES AND TENTACLES OF DROSERA SPECIES

Abstract

When insects (Drosophila melanogaster) were supplied with [35S]sulphate, methionine sulphoxide, cysteine, cysteic acid and taurine became labelled. When the insects were applied to the leaves of Drosera hinata, label in the plant was associated with methionine sulphoxide, cysteine, cysteic acid and sulphate but not taurine. Application of [35S]sulphate to the leaves of D. binata produced a similar labelling pattern except that cysteic acid was not labelled. There were some differences in sulphur metabolism between axenic cultures and field grown plants; axenic cultures, for example, did not incorporate 35S‐label into methionine sulphoxide. Copyright © 1976, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved